Butterfield moved to Sheffield Wednesday on loan from Derby County last month.
Carlos Carvalhal has explained why Jacob Butterfield is yet to start since moving to Sheffield Wednesday on loan from Derby County.
Butterfield has appeared as a substitute in all four of Wednesday’s fixtures since his deadline day arrival, which saw Sam Winnall move in the opposite direction to Derby.
But while Winnall appears to be making a positive impact at Pride Park, where he scored the first goal of his loan spell on Saturday, Butterfield is yet to prove wrong those who questioned his ability at the time of his temporary transfer.
Carvalhal, though, has called for patience as the 27-year-old adapts to Wednesday’s style of football.
Speaking at a heated pre-Birmingham City press conference, which took place two days after the 4-2 derby defeat against Sheffield United, on Tuesday, the Owls’ head coach told the club’s official Facebook page: “(Butterfield has not been starting) because we were winning and playing very well – easy.
“I don’t know (if that will change against Birmingham), we’ll see. It’s not because we lose one game that I must put a player that is not playing. We brought him for the season, we didn’t bring him to come here to play immediately because he must understand how we play. He must understand our philosophy; what we want.
“He comes from a completely different football and he’s doing better and better. That’s why he’s involved in all the games since he arrived. Understand that we brought a very good player. He’s a very, very good player. With the ball he’s got fantastic technique, he understands the game.
“The level of intensity is not the profile of our team, but the way that he is training, his approach to the intensity that we want (in) the games, is getting better and better.”
Whether Butterfield comes in or not, Carvalhal hinted he could make changes at St Andrew’s, with some of Sunday’s team carrying knocks.
But his options to replace them could be limited, with the game coming too early for Glenn Loovens and Almen Abdi, who returned to full training last week.
On the topic of Sam Hutchinson, whose all-action style was perhaps missed against Sheffield United, the Portuguese said: “We’ll see (if he plays).”
Will the Derby loanee come good for Sheffield Wednesday?
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